The Diary of Lies

About The Diary of Lies

Fearless freelance reporter Shona Sandison might be about to get her biggest scoop yet—if she can make it to the end of the investigation alive.

The third installment of the Shona Sandison Investigations is perfect for fans of Ian Rankin, John le Carré, and Denise Mina.

In a post-COVID world, investigative reporter Shona Sandison is seeking meaning and the next big story; her reclusive contact inside the government is promising her something huge, but she’s having trouble getting anything solid and has no idea what kind of danger she’s up against. Meanwhile, her old friend Hector Stricken has taken on a new position in communications for the Scottish government, where everybody is abuzz about a sinister, top-secret project codenamed Grendel and nobody seems to want to answer Stricken’s questions. Finally, an aging former MI6 director now living deep in the woods processes his grief for his murdered son.

Connecting these stories is a conspiracy rooted deep in Scotland’s most powerful institutions, a rot so deep that the only way to cure it may be to cut it out—or burn the whole thing down. Written in beautiful, immersive language and peopled with iconic characters grappling with issues far larger than themselves, Philip Miller’s new mystery depicts the reality of the modern fight against institutional fascism.